Implement for removing indentations from putting greens



M. T. COELHO Feb. 12, 1952 IMPLEMENT FOR REMOVING INDENTATIONS FROM PUTTING GREENS Filed Oct. 15, 1949' INVENTOR. MA NUEL 71 0011/40 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1952 OFFICE IMPLEMENT FOR REMOVING INDENTA- TIQNS FROM PUTTING GREENS Manuel T. Coelho, Redwood City, Calif.

Application October 15,

2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a novel implement for removing from putting greens indentations resulting from the impact of golf balls.

'The implement or tool comprising the present invention is used to remove depressions or indentations in golf putting greens caused by the impact of golf balls. My invention embodies a combination comprising two downwardly extending pivoted elements arranged for projection into the putting green at opposite sides of a small indentation or depression, and lever operated 'means for simultaneously actuating the said elements inwardly and upwardly in a manner which raises the soil directly beneath the indentation to the level of the surrounding ground.

The implement is provided with a flat block which provides a support for the pivoted elements as well as means which limits the displacement of the raised soil to the level of the surrounding ground level.

For the purpose of this application I have elected to show herein certain forms and details of an implement for removing indentations from putting greens representative of my invention.

green to the level of the surrounding ground;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the implement;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the implement; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referrin to the drawings the numeral i designates an elongated supporting shaft or rod having a handle 2 carried at its upper end and a ground engaging block 3 rigidly secured to its lower end. The lower surface of the block 3 is fiat and arranged preferably at right angles to the shaft I, thereby making it possible for the block to firmly rest on the substantially flat surface of a golf putting green when the shaft is held in a substantially vertical position. The

bottom surface of the block 3 is sufficiently large 1949, Serial No. 121,584 (01. 47-1) Pivotally mounted on pins 4 or the like secured to the opposite sides of the block 3 are two sharp ground displacing elements 5 which extend well below the block. The sharp ground displacing elements 5 are normally positioned in substantially parallel relation with respect to one another and they are also arranged at substantially right angles to the bottom surface of the block. While the sharp ground displacing elements 5 are shown as having forked lower ends, it is to be understood thattheymay embody various other suitable shapes capable ofbeing easily projected into the ground. -Theground displacing elements 5 are formed with inwardly protruding lugs which extend into slots-in the opposite sides of the block, the said, lugs being pivotally mounted on the pins 4 secured to the said block. The ground displacing elements 5 extend well above the block in substantially parallel relation to the shaft I and at opposite sides thereof.

Slidably mounted on the shaft I is a sleeve 6 having two pairs of laterally spaced flanges 1 extending outwardly in opposite directions, from its lower end. Operatively connecting the flanges 1 with the upper ends of the ground displacing elements 5 are links 8. The links are bent outwardly so that their lower end portions are inclined sufficiently to exert an outward pressure on the upper ends of the ground displacing elements 5 when the said links are moveddownwardly with the sleeve 6. It will be noted' that the upper portions of the links 8 are normally positioned in substantially parallel relation to the shaft l and that the lower portions of said links extend outwardly in opposite directions. Since the pressure on the upper ends of the ground displacing elements 5 is in an outward direction when the links 8 are moved downwardly there is no possibility of the pressure being applied at dead center or in line with the said ground displacing elements. It is possible to have the lower ends of the links 8 extend outwardly since the pivots which connect the upper ends of the links to the flanges l are arranged closer to the shaft l than the pivots which connect the lower ends of the links to the upper ends of the ground displacing elements 5. When the sleeve 6 is moved downwardly by the actuating means hereinafter described, the links 8 moving in the same direction turn the ground displacing elements 5 about their pivot pins 4 in a manner which causes the sharp lower ends thereof to move inwardly toward each other, and upwardly.

Pivotally connected between its ends as at 9 to the upper portion of the shaft l is a normally inclined hand operated lever I0. The lower end of the lever is provided with a handle H, and pivotally connected as at I! to the upper end of the said lever is a normally inclined rigid link I 3, the said link being pivotally connected at its lower end as at M to a pair of laterally spaced flanges 15 secured-to the sleeve 6. Acoiled tension spring 18 is connected at one end to the lever ID at a point near the pivot 9, and at its other end it is connected to the link l3 between the latters ends. The tension spring I6 is so constructed and arranged that it automatically returns the sleeve 6 upwardly after the handle ll of the lever is released following the upward movement thereof during the operation of the device.

In operation, the handle 2 of the shaft 1 is used to project the ground displacing elements [into the golf putting green at oppositesides shaft is held firmly by onehand the handle H of the lever- I ispulled upwardly, thereby causing theopposite end of the said lever to move downwardly. As the handle ll moves upwardly the-link l3, the sleeve Band the links 8 are simultaneously moved downwardly, thereby causing the ground displacing elements to be turned about their pivot pins 4. As the ground engaging elements 5 are turned about their pivot pins 4 the pointed ends thereof which are imbedded inthe soil beneath the surface of the putting green are swung inwardly and upwardly, thereby causing the-soil directly beneath the depressiontobe lifted upwardly until the said depression disappears. The block 3 serves as a stop to limit the upwardmovement of the soil which is-displaced upwardly by the elements 5, and sincev the lower fiat surface of the block rests on and is in line with the upper surface of the putting green the sidesof the depression when car- "ried upwardly against the bottom of the block willbe-brought into alignment with the surfaceof the putting green. Upon the release of the handlell of the lever ID the tension spring liexerting an upward pull on the link [3 causes the'sleevet to be returned upwardly to its normal inactive position. As the sleeve 6 moves upwardly the links 8 are also pulled in the same direction thereby causing their lower ends to move. inwardly toward the shaft I. As the lower pivoted ends of the links 8 are moved inwardly theupper ends of the ground displacing elements Spare also carried in the same direction, thereby causing the lower ends of the said elements to swing. outwardlyto their normal upright position. The implement may then be lifted upwardly to disengage the lower ends of the ground displacing elements 5 from the putting green. It is to be understood that the shaft or rod I may be tubular or partially tubular, or solid throughout, so for this reason the term rod" or shaft is to be construed broadly as including any elongated supporting member.

What I claim is:

1. An implement for the purpose described comprising a supporting rod, a block secured to the lower end of the rod, the said block having a substantially flat surface arranged at substantially right angles to the rod, a pair of spaced ground engaging elements pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the block, the said elements having extensions extending upwardly above the block and depending pointed ends extending below the block, a sleeve slidably mounted on the rod, links connecting the sleeve and the upper extensions of the ground 'engagingelements. a hand lever pivotally connected at a point between itsends to the .rod above the. sleeve and having a handleat one end, and link means pivotally connecting the opposite end of the lever to the sleeve.

2. An implement for the purpose described comprising a supporting rod, a block secured to the lower end of the rod, a pair of spaced ground displacing elements pivotally mounted on the block at opposite sides thereof, the said elements having opposed depending pointed end portions extending below theblock and upward extensions extending above the block, a slidable member mounted on the rod, a pair of pivoted links having outwardly extending lower portions, the said links being pivotally connected at their upper ends to the slidable member and pivotally connected at their lowerends to the upper extensions of the ground displacing elements, a hand lever pivotally mounted between its ends on the upper portion of the rod, and a link connecting one end of the lever with the slidable member.

MANUEL T. COELHO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Saffold Sept. 8, 

